OSTEOCHONDRITIS

Osteochondritis in children

This group of conditions, which causes pain and disability, affects the growing skeleton of a child or adolescent and the surfaces of the joints (cartilage) in the knee. The diseases interrupt the blood supply to a bone which results in bone death (necrosis) and later regrowth of the bone.

Adrian will discuss your child’s symptoms with you and carry out an examination of the knee to check for tenderness, stiffness, swelling and any difficulties with movement. In most cases, he will arrange for them to have an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis. The final diagnosis is made with an MRI scan.

In most cases, resting and taking the weight off the knee for a period of time will settle things. Adrian may also advise that your child has a course of physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles and tendons around the joint. However, in some cases, he may advise that your child has surgery to fix the bone and cartilage fragment that have partially detached.

Types of osteochondritis include:

Osgood-Schlatter disease

Pain and swelling in the bony lump that lies just below the kneecap can be caused by Osgood-Schlatter disease.

Osgood-Schlatter disease is caused by a bone at the top of the shin bone becoming affected during a growth spurt. It’s more common if your child takes part in sports that include running and jumping or where there is repeated stress on the knees.

Adrian will discuss your child’s symptoms with you and carry out an examination of the knee to check for tenderness, stiffness, swelling and any difficulties with movement. In most cases, he will arrange for them to have an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis.

In most cases, resting, along with taking painkillers (as prescribed by your doctor) is enough to relieve the symptoms and your child is likely to make a complete recovery by the time he or she stops growing. Surgery is only very rarely necessary. However, children with Osgood-Schlatter syndrome will still have a bony lump on the front of the shin bone, even after surgery.

Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome

It’s caused by repetitive strain on the patella tendon which causes the growth plate to become inflamed and painful. It’s more common in boys aged 10-15. It’s sometimes described as the childhood equivalent to jumper’s knee.

Adrian will discuss your child’s symptoms with you and carry out an examination of the knee to check for tenderness, stiffness, swelling and any difficulties with movement. In most cases, he will arrange for them to have an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis.

In most cases, resting, along with taking painkillers (as prescribed by your doctor) is enough to relieve the symptoms and your child is likely to make a complete recovery by the time he or she stops growing. Surgery is only recommended in around 5% of cases.